A vanity case and a red Samsung L110 digital camera, which contained pictures of part of her time in Australia and holidays back in the UK and in Spain, were also stolen.

Miss Fox had left the TV on and her dog Frazer in the house for security and believed the burglars may have let him out as he was later found by the main road.

She said: “We’ve only moved back from Australia about four weeks ago – welcome back to England! The jewellery cannot be replaced, not that I intend to do that because someone might come in and take it all again.

“Some of it was antique or handed down the generations.”

Miss Fox was born in Reading but spent most of her childhood in Australia and later came back to live in Caversham and Tilehurst before returning Down Under in 2003.

A chisel, thought to have been used by the burglars, was found in Miss Fox’s mother’s bedroom.

Police told Miss Fox there had also been burglaries “locally and in Tidmarsh” and she later discovered three businesses had also been raided in Goring.

“The police believe it was opportunist because there were a lot of burglaries that day,” she said. “I think they [the burglars] knew what they were after.

“These people have no morals.

“They are the dregs of society.

“I feel sick inside.”

Anyone with information should call Thames Valley Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.